Method for manufacturing discs from wire

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for manufacturing discs or other metal parts of circular or similar cross section from metal wire, according to which the wire is cut into portions of a predetermined length, then each portion is introduced individually along its longitudinal axis into a prismatic housing in a first matrix to be subjected to a first press forging. The prismatic blank is then withdrawn from the first matrix and is inserted into a cavity having the cross-sectional shape of the final object to be produced. The cavity provided in the second matrix subjects the blank to a final press forging to produce the final shape of the fabricated part.

United States Patent Lachaussee et al.

[ Feb. 15, 1972 [54] METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING DISCS FROM WIRE [72] Inventors: Maurice L. Lachaussee, Ans-lez-Liege, Belgium; Andre D. Maigret, Val de Mare,

France [73] Assignee: Etablissements Lachaussee, societe anonyme, Ans-lez-Liege, Belgium 221 Filed: Dec. 5, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 882,544

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 18, 1969 Belgium ..42398 [52] U.S. Cl ..72/339, 72/348, 72/377 [51] Int. Cl ..B2ld 22/00 [58] Field ofSearch .72/348, 377, 379, 338, 339, 72/347 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,826,948 3/1958 Veale .,72 3 77 2,994,952 8/1961 x1001 ..l0/86F Primary Examiner-Richard J Herbst Artorney-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak [57] ABSTRACT A method is provided for manufacturing discs or other metal parts of circular or similar cross section from metal wire, according to which the wire is cut into portions of a predetermined length, then each portion is introduced individually along its longitudinal axis into a prismatic housing in a first matrix to be subjected to a first press forging. The prismatic blank is then withdrawn from the first matrix and is inserted into a cavity having the cross-sectional shape of the final object to be produced. The cavity provided in the second matrix subjects the blank to a final press forging to produce the final shape of the fabricated part.

1 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING DISCS FROM WIRE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a method for manufacturing discs or other similar metal objects.

2. Description of the Prior Art In industry, a large number of objects and particularly small objects is made by stamping, drawing or extruding from discs, which are usually cut from sheet metal of suitable thickness.

The cutting of discs leaVes in the sheet or plate the part which is located between the discs; generally, this part cannot be used and forms an important waste. Moreover, the cutting of discs can only be carried out if the ratio between the thickness of the sheet and the smallest diameter of the discs to be cut is smaller than one; if this ratio is larger than one, the cutting operation becomes very difficult and may even be impossible to be carried out correctly under normal operating conditions. In view of the fact that sometimes thick discs are required, it is known in the art to manufacture these from wire which is cut into cylindrical portions of a given length which are first subjected to a treatment and then to a forging operation by disposing them vertically from one end in order to flatten them. During this forging, the wire section is flattened and deformed, but it can also happen that the wire buckles or folds so that one part covers another, thus forming a disc which has internal defects, caused by the discontinuity of certain fibers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is therefore to manufacture economically, and without defects, discs or metal objects from wire, in which internal faults caused by buckling are eliminated.

According to the present invention there is provided a method for manufacturing discs or other metal parts of circular or similar cross section from metal wires cut into portions of a given length, wherein each portion is inserted individually along its longitudinal axis into a prismatic housing in a first matrix and is subjected to a first press forging in this first matrix, forming a prismatic blank; the prismatic blank being then withdrawn from the first matrix and inserted axially into a cavity, having the cross-sectional shape of the object to be produced and provided in a second matrix, the blank thus placed into the second matrix being then subjected to a final press forging to produce the final shape of the fabricated part.

According to an optional feature of the invention, the prismatic housing of the first matrix has a cross section in the shape of an equilateral triangle and its sides are tangents of the cylindrical piece of wire along three generating lines offset by 120 relative to each other. In one embodiment, the cavity of the second matrix is a revolutional cylindrical shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be more fully described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of a reel of wire and a cutting apparatus;

FIG. 2 shows a small wire cylinder before insertion into a first matrix;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the small wire cylinder in the first matrix;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line IVIV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a blank after removal from the first matrix, haVing undergone a forging operation;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the blank illustrated in FIG. 5 after second matrix havin under oneafor in o eration.

DESCRIPTION THE REFER ED E MBODIMENT In an installation applying this process, a wire reel I is mounted on a drum; the wire lb is unreeled and runs into a cutting device Ia which cuts it into pieces, thus forming small wire cylinders, such as 2. These cylindrical pieces are gripped individually by pincers (not shown) and inserted axially into a housing 3 of a first matrix 4. This housing has a prismatic triangular shape, the cross section of the housing being an equilateral triangle. The surfaces of the housing are tangents relative to the cylinder 2 along three generating lines offset relative to each other by In view of this arrangement, the cylinder 2 is retained along its generating lines and can therefore easily resist buckling. When forging is effected along the arrow X, the cylinder is flattened and is deformed in three directions Y offset at 120 relative to each other, and assumes the triangular prismatic shape of the housing 3. The result is a prismatic, triangular blank 2a which is removed from the housing 3 and transported by pincers not shown, into a cylindrical revolutional cavity 7 of a second matrix 5. This cavity is so chosen that its cross section circumscribes the cross section of the blank 2a. When forging of this blank 2a is carried out by means of a press the blank is flattened and deformed; since it is constrained at its comers, it can deform only along three directions, offset at 120 relative to each other; hence, it becomes round while it flattens and fills the cavity 7, producing a thick disc which has a final circular cross section and which, after leaving the matrix, is transported to its final destination.

This method is particularly advantageous in that it produces no manufacturing waste whatever. This results in a substantial economy of metal and this leads again to a substantial saving in the price This advantage is even further enhanced by the fact that metal wire is cheaper than metal sheet. Moreover, during the first forging, the wire section is constrained in three directions which prevents it from buckling.

The invention, applicaBle to the fabrication of discs, may be used for manufacturing pastils, rivets and generally other small objects of circular or near circular cross section. In certain cases, it may be necessary to make certain adaptations, without, however, thereby departing from the principle of the invention.

What we claim is:

l. A method of manufacturing metallic blanks from metal wire consisting of the steps of:

cutting sections of a given length from the metal wire;

inserting individually each section of wire along its longitudinal axis into a prismatic housing in a first matrix, the prismatic housing in the first matrix having a cross-sectional shape of an equilateral triangle with its surface being tangent to the wire section along three planes offset relative to each other through 120;

press forging the wire section in the first matrix to form a triangular prismatic blank;

removing the triangular prismatic blank from the first matrix;

inserting the triangular prismatic blank into a second housing having a cavity, the cavity receiving the triangular prismatic blank and having a cross-sectional shape of the desired final product which is capable of circumscribing the triangular cross section of the prismatic blank and contacting it along at least three points, and

press forging the triangular prismatic blank into the desired shape of second housing cavity whereby defects that could occur from buckling of the blank are prevented. 

1. A method of manufacturing metallic blanks from metal wire consisting of the steps of: cutting sections of a given length from the metal wire; inserting individually each section of wire along its longitudinal axis into a prismatic housing in a first matrix, the prismatic housing in the first matrix having a crosssectional shape of an equilateral triangle with its surface being tangent to the wire section along three planes offset relative to each other through 120*; press forging the wire section in the first matrix to form a triangular prismaTic blank; removing the triangular prismatic blank from the first matrix; inserting the triangular prismatic blank into a second housing having a cavity, the cavity receiving the triangular prismatic blank and having a cross-sectional shape of the desired final product which is capable of circumscribing the triangular cross section of the prismatic blank and contacting it along at least three points, and press forging the triangular prismatic blank into the desired shape of second housing cavity whereby defects that could occur from buckling of the blank are prevented. 